College of Liberal Arts

With more than 10,000 students across 42 majors, the College of Liberal Arts encourages students to consider all of their study abroad options. UT has over 400 approved programs abroad.

To streamline your research, we have highlighted important course information and selected programs that could best suit your major. Use the following guidance as a starting point for identifying programs that will best fit your goals. A best fit program can vary by student, degree plan, and coursework.

As a COLA major you must meet intermediate proficiency in a foreign language. Click here to see a list of programs that meet this requirement.

You can fulfill core and flag requirements abroad via petition. For more information, click here.

For those seeking minor or certificate credit, the major guides can be an effective tool in locating partners with pre-approved coursework. Students across all majors are reminded to consult with their academic advisor and regularly check the My Credit Abroad (MyCA) database for course equivalents. Students can also identify courses at institutions of interest for pre-approval. All courses taken on exchange and faculty-led programs result in in-residence credit.

Economics

Economics majors are encouraged to live and study abroad to gain vital international perspective beneficial to a future career in Economics. Experiencing another country’s culture, political system, history, and economy enhances analytical and critical thinking skills developed during the Economics major, and strengthens the foundation of lifelong learning.

There are sequential requirements with prerequisites, and majors are encouraged to seek electives that can deepen knowledge in specific areas of interest. The department requires ECO 329, 420K, and 441K be taken in residence. Traveling abroad during the junior year is often most desirable, though this can vary from student to student. ECO 329, 420K, and 441K may be available at exchange partner institutions featured below which satisfies the in-residence requirement but students will need to be aware that these courses may not satisfy the UT requirements for the Writing or Independent Inquiry flags. Flags must be petitioned by students after taking the course abroad. Traditionally, it has been very difficult for students to receive these flags abroad. Please be sure to consult with your academic advisor about this BEFORE going abroad. For courses not in the MyCA database, majors are encouraged to have courses formally evaluated to ensure departmental support beforehand.

Because of the sequential nature of ECO 329, 420K, and 441K, it is strongly recommended that students formulate a degree plan early on in their major if they wish to study abroad. The following featured programs have been endorsed by the department.

French Studies

Many French Studies students have dual majors and it is recommended that this be considered in the planning of a study abroad experience. The department encourages majors to consider an internship as the major is designed to prepare students to use French in their careers. The major consists of 24 hours of upper division coursework that includes 320E and 322E. For students wishing to go abroad to study upper division material in French, 320E must be satisfied beforehand. The ideal degree plan for a French Studies major is to take 601C and 611C in the freshman year, 317C and 320E in the sophomore year, with study abroad occurring in the junior year.

For students who are pursuing language proficiency that are not French Studies majors, consulting the My Credit Abroad (MyCA) database is an essential first step toward deciding where to go. If the coursework is not already approved in MyCA, students are cautioned that it may not match the curriculum at UT Austin. Additionally, it is important to note that if coursework has been started in the online sequence, students should remain on that track.

Government

Government majors are encouraged to go abroad as a global perspective is critical to working in the field. Students may go abroad as soon as the spring of Freshman year. Most students select the sophomore or junior year, and the department prefers that upper division coursework be taken abroad. There is an option for students to obtain 6 credits toward an internship through GOV 374N. The following exchanges offer an internship with a member of Parliament:

Swansea University

Australian National University

There are no sequential requirements in this major that students need to be aware of when planning to study abroad. Courses that are difficult to get into on campus can often be taken abroad resulting in a faster time to graduation. Students are able to petition to receive a flag for coursework taken abroad at an exchange, but must do this individually and are encouraged to speak with their academic advisor and program coordinator.

IRG

International Relations and Global Studies (IRG) majors see study abroad as the cornerstone of their academic program, and IRG majors inherently make their study abroad experience key to their global endeavors. Most students elect to go abroad their sophomore or junior year. Dependent upon the number of credits a student may have, the department generally encourages students to go abroad during the 4th, 5th, or 6th semester. As IRG majors prepare to work in careers that require global experience and understanding, a semester experience or longer is strongly recommended.

There are no sequential requirements in this major that students need to be mindful of when planning their experience. Students are required to take the three foundational IRG courses: IRG 301, IRG 320F, and IRG 378 at UT Austin. Students should regularly consult the My Credit Abroad (MyCA) database as new courses are constantly being added that can satisfy the various tracks and languages that are specific to an individual student’s needs. Students are able to petition to receive a flag for coursework taken abroad at an exchange but must do this individually, and are encouraged to collaborate with their Academic Advisor and Study Abroad Program Coordinator.

History

With more than 400 available programs, History majors can explore learning in many parts of the world. Many major requirements can be filled abroad, particularly in regional areas of focus or interest. While the degree plan allows for a more flexible approach to when coursework can be taken abroad, a few things should be noted. One U.S. History course must be completed in-residence. 315L is the only course that allows credit to be earned by exam. 21 hours of the major must be completed in-residence. 6 credit hours of coursework in pre-1800s can be anything a student selects. Since there is a significant in-residence credit requirement, Study Abroad recommends majors consider exchange partners and faculty-led programs to satisfy this requirement.

The ideal degree plan for a student places 318W in the sophomore year. The HIS 378 Capstone can only be taken on UT's campus. Because the course topic changes every semester, it is unlikely that a direct equivalent will exist abroad.

History Minors

15 credits are required to complete a minor with 6 upper division credits. 9 credits must be completed in residence. These courses do not need to all focus on the same area.